Brawn GP awaits engine approval by the FIA

The new Brawn GP team is still awaiting official approval for its Mercedes engine from the FIA, given that the team started testing in Spain this morning.

The team led by Ross Brawn for 2009 takes over from Honda following its withdrawal in early December 2008.

Brawn GP is now the third team on the grid powered by the German manufacturer, which also supplies engines to Force India and the McLaren team.

« Brawn GP and we are satisfied with the agreement. All the arrangements made by both parties have been professionally designed, well respected, and implemented, » said Norbert Haug, Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, to the German publication Auto Motor und Sport.

« I think that Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, as well as the rest of the team, have all done a very good job. Ross knows how a team reacts in competition; he has already proven it during his career. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some positive results from them. »

As Brawn GP conducts tests in Spain this week, Haug also gave his opinion on the current situation compared to other F1 teams: « Brawn GP is awaiting engine approval from the FIA, and we hope the team will get it. »

We believe that maintaining the team is very important, especially in the current economic climate. It is important to ensure that Formula 1 does not have only eighteen cars on the starting grid.

As of now, twenty cars will take part in the F1 championship in 2009, with the USGPE team, formerly USF1, also expected to join the lineup next year.